“Their mothers were nobodies,” Marian said. “Donor eggs. Lab workers, techs, anyone we found. That was the point—that we could create a superrace out of anything. Out of trash,” she said meanly.
I heard blood rushing through the veins in my head. “Well, you’re right there,” I said. “Because we are a superrace. And I did come from trash.”
The Director clapped her hands, and the Flyboys at the door snapped to attention. I felt Ari and the others straighten up, go on higher alert, waiting to see how badly this situation would devolve. Which it was guaranteed to do.
“You’re a child, Max,” she said, obviously trying to control her anger. “Which makes it unsurprising that you can’t see the big picture. You’re still putting yourself at the center of the universe. It’s time you found out you’re just a small speck in the big scheme of things.”
“Which means what?” I demanded. “That I’m nothing? That I’m not a person? That you can do anything you want to me and it’s okay? You’re so full of it! But you’re wrong. I know that I do matter. I am important. And you’re a pathetic, cold, pointless wastoid who’s going to grow old alone and die, then roast in hell forever.”
I have to say, that sounded dang good, considering I don’t even know if I believe in hell. I do believe in hateful rhymes-with-witches, though, and I had one standing right here who was glaring sparks at me.
“This is what I mean,” she said. “Your childish insults don’t affect me. Your useless anger doesn’t affect me. You’ll end up doing what I say or you will die. It’s that simple.”
“That’s one of the many, many differences between you and me,” I snarled. “I have enough smarts to know that it’s never that simple. And I can make this more complicated than you could possibly imagine.” I put real menace into my voice, leaning forward threateningly and clenching my fists. Her eyes flickered.
“See, you don’t know squat about me, Mom,” I went on icily. “You have no idea what I’m capable of. Just because you made me doesn’t mean you know what I can do, what I’ve done. And here’s a news flash: My chip is gone. So you can take your spyware and shove it.”
Her glance quickly shot to my wrist.
I dropped my voice and stared into her eyes. I could tell she was trying hard not to look away. I was so furious I could have cheerfully ripped her head off. “But you’re going to find out, Mom,” I said very softly. “And it’s going to give you nightmares for the rest of your wasted life.”
Oh, my God, I was so badass. It was all I could do to not give a mwa ha ha ha!
The Director clenched her teeth and visibly controlled some shallow breaths. Finally she spoke. “You’re wasting your time, Max,” she said. “You can’t hurt me.”
I grinned evilly, and she flinched for a split second, then made her face expressionless.
“Yes, Mom,” I whispered. “I really can.”
104
I’m sure some of you get sent to your rooms sometimes by your parents. All I have to say is, the next time it happens and you’re lying there all mad thinking about how hard your life is, just picture me standing next to you, ready to smack you upside the head. When I get sent to my room, it’s in a freaking dungeon! With rats!
Plus, how many of your parents chain you to the wall? I’m betting not that many. Okay, maybe some. I don’t know how regular families work. But probably not many, am I right?
“Yeah, you showed her,” Total muttered, licking his paw where his shackle was chafing it.
I made a face at him. “God, my mom’s such a witch.”
“We’ve been in worse places, in worse situations,” Nudge said.
“For all we know a PetSmart truck is pulling up outside, unloading dog crates,” I said gloomily, unwilling to be comforted.
The speakers wired to the walls crackled to life, and I groaned as more multi-culti propaganda began to assault our ears.
I inched over toward Nudge and Angel. My chain let me sit between them, and I unfolded my wings and shook them out. Then I carefully wrapped my wings around Nudge and Angel, encasing them in a warm, feathery cocoon big enough to hold all of us. Total couldn’t be left out, so he dragged his chain over and crawled beneath my wings too.
I looked over at Ari. He was asleep, or pretending to be asleep, so he wasn’t part of the feathery fun fest.
It was quiet and dim here; the stones were cold under my jeans, and I could feel a chill starting to seep into my skin. Another hour or two and we would be miserable with cold. How long would it take Fang to get here? How could he even get here?
Total pricked his ears and raised his head slightly. Looking into the shadows, I saw a tall shape moving toward us. In an instant I had recognized the gait, the height, the body language. Jeb. He was like really spicy Mexican food—kept coming back on ya.
I didn’t have the energy for more sparring.
When he was close enough, I said, “Please tell me that icebox was kidding about being my mother.”
He knelt in front of us, and I gathered the younger ones more closely under my wings.